Shinjū
Shinjū is the first book by Laura Joh Rowland in the Sano Ichirō mysteries series. It was published on November 17th, 1994. It was followed by Bundori. Acknowledgments I would like to thank the following people, each of whom helped make this book possible: George Alec Effinger, friend, mentor, and master of science fiction writer. My agent, Peter Grey Ahearn; my editor, David Rosenthal; my husband, Marty Rowland. And the member's of my writer's workshop: Larry Barbe, Cary Bruton, Kim Campbell, O'Neil DeNoux, Debbie Hodgkinson, Jack Jernigan, Micheal Keane, Mark McCandless, Marian Moore, John Webre, and Fritz Ziegler. Official Synopsis "When beautiful, wealthy Yukiko and low-born artist Noriyoshi are found drowned together in a shinju, or ritual double suicide, everyone believes the culprit was forbidden love. Everyone but newly appointed yoriki Sano Ichirō. Despite the official verdict and warnings from his superiors, the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People suspects the deaths weren't just a tragedy – they were murder. Risking his family's good name and his own life, Sano will search for a killer across every level of society determined to find answers to a mystery no one wants solved. No one but Sano..."Goodreads Plot A couple is deposited by the murderer in the river Sumida. The murderer arranged the scene and fake evidence in such a way that it looked like a love suicide (shinju). The new Yoriki Sano Ichirō is assigned by Magistrate Ogyu to handle this delicate affaire, as the woman Niu Yukiko was the daughter of one of the wealthiest Daimyō Niu Masamune, while the man Noriyoshi was just a commoner. Magistrate Ogyu ordered him to return the corpse of Yukiko, while exposing the corpse of Noriyoshi in the public under the usual penalty for such a crime. Sano intended to follow this order, although he his instinct told him to investigate the murder. He changed his mind, when some other yoriki passed his office, and he realized if he did not follow his instincts he would end up like them. He would be only interested in his well being then really in the crimes happening all around him. He therefore decided to go to the Edo Jail himself to find out what he could about the murder. At Edo Jail the Etas, which had handled the corpses could not tell him much, but one of them led him to Dr. Ito Genboku, a renowned physician, who had fallen in disgrace for studying foreign sciences. He is now held confined at the Edo Jail to run the morgue. Together they inspect the corpse of Noriyoshi, as the corpse of Yukiko had already been returned to her family. An autopsy carried out be the eta Mura revealed, that Noriyoshi did not drown and thus must have been murdered. The next day Sano started his investigation by visiting the Niu estate. He is received by Lady Niu in presence of Eii-chan her male-servant, as well as Midori and Keiko two of Lord Niu's daughters. Furthermore he encounterd the maid O-hisa and Lady Niu's son Masahito. Lady Niu explained that the whole family went to a neighbor for musical entertainment and that Yukiko's absence was not discovered until the next morning. Otherwise he could not gather any clue which could be used as evidence for murder. On his way out of the estate, Midori contacted him to tell him something. In the garden Midori told him that she did not believe her sister killed herself. They were discovered by Lady Niu, who was furious, Sano was then escorted out of the estate. In the mean while Midori went into Yukiko's former bedchamber to find her diary, but she was discovered by Lady Niu, who burned the journal, destroying all the evidence Midori found. After the investigation of the Niu family, Sano turned his interst on Noriyoshi. A visit at his former working place in Yoshiwara did not seem promissing, as the proprietor Cherry Eater appeared to be lying about important details. By chance he discovered the name of Noriyoshi's real lady friend Lady Wisteria, a courtesan in Yoshiwara. More to be added... Character Appearances Debut * Sano Ichirō * Magistrate Ogyu * Blacksmith Goro * Katsuragawa Shundai * Sano's Father * Sano Etsuko * Tokugawa Tsunayoshi * Eii * Lady Niu * Niu Midori * Niu Yukiko * Noriyoshi * More to be added... Reoccurring * None Character Deaths * Niu Yukiko * Noriyoshi * More to be added... Locations To be added... Cover Variations Shinjū english cover first edition (1994).jpg|1994 First edition (English) Shinjū english cover hardcover (1994).jpg|1994 Hardcover (English) Shinjū german cover (1994).jpg|1994 German cover Shinjū czech cover hardcover (1997).jpg|1997 Hardcover (Czech) Shinjū german cover paperback (1999).jpg|1999 Paperback (German) Shinjū bulgarian cover paperback (2000).jpg|2000 Paperback (Bulgarian) Shinjū english cover paperback (2001).jpg|2001 Paperback (English) Shinjū czech cover hardcover (2008).jpg|2008 Hardcover (Czech) Shinjū german cover paperback (2008).jpg|2008 Paperback (German) Shinjū english cover paperback (2009).jpg|2009 Paperback (English) Shinjū english cover paperback (2010).jpg|2010 Paperback (English) Shinjū slovakian cover (2010).jpg|2010 Slovak cover Shinjū bulgarian cover paperback (2011).jpg|2011 Paperback (Bulgarian) Trivia * The blurb seems to confuse the term yoriki with the term sosakan. ...newly appointed yoriki Sano Ichirō. ... Despite the official verdict and warnings from his superiors, the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People suspects... The second part is referring to Sano. This implies that Sano is the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People. This doesn't become true until the last chapter of the book. References Category:Books Category:Article stubs